How long did it take you all to accept who you are?

[Dimentio]

Well i am going to be 17 on Match so i hate counting myself as 16 XD But anyway, Looking back on my life i have always been gay even in year 4 (English school years), But i knew i was gay majorly at 12 and thought i accepted it at 13 or so, But even now so many years later i find myself hating the fact i am considered not normal and wondering what it would be like if i was straight and why can't i be, Is this normal or am i just going through a long acceptance stage?

[Abyssal Echo]

I always knew I was differant than my friends. I accepted my sexuality and came out at 13

[Skyline]

I wonder what being straight is like a lot, but I never think of myself as being different. I accepted I was gay I think 3 or 4 years ago.

[Noirtier]

I accepted myself over this past summer, really. I've known that I was gay, or at least that I liked men, ever since I was about 12 or so. But, growing up in a religious household where homosexuality was despised and condemned, I tried for years to "force myself straight." Obviously it didn't work, because you can't force yourself straight. I struggled with it for a long time, but finally came to terms with it and was able to accept myself this past summer. It was a long process for me, but eventually I got there--with the help and support of some amazing people, without which I would probably still be trying to make myself happy being with women.

[tundravortex]

i knew who i was since i was born it was my friends who had to get used to seeing a native american for their first time

[teen.jpg]

I didn't figure out I was bi until I was 11, and didn't start coming out until a few months ago.

[joshM1996]

I'm bisexual and realised it when I was about 12 1/2-13 but tried to repress and and told myself it was a phase until I was about 15 1/2 then I realized its who I am and starting coming out to people when I was 16 but I'm still trying to accept myself completly for it

[Quick_Sylver]

Well, for the most part a lot of my understanding of terms came when I was 13 and older, but for my sexuality: I originally felt bisexual was what fit me, enough that I told my mom about it when I was 13 and she more or less went "..And?" However, my sexuality fluctuated like hell from the time I was 14-15 really. Homosexual Panromantic(attracted to same sex but only able to love guys) was a label for a time, and then it changed again from 15-now. Pansexual Polyamorous is probably my best label to fit me at this point in time. I never really was adamant about "this makes me different... :(" for my sexuality. I had a lot more difficulty understand my gender identity, which confused me a bit on my sexuality for a bit, though not too long.

TL;DR - Never really got that I was "different" for having a different sexuality until grade 10, and even now I don't get straight people most of the time, due to their difference from ME.

[ReginaGeorge]

It has only been about, maybe a little under a year since I started noticing my same-sex attraction, and I'm completely fine with liking girls, the second I started questioning, I was okay with the concept.

As for actually trying to figure out what sexuality I was, it paid a little bit of a tole, and I'm still working on it, but I'm much more accepting now. I don't know what sexuality I am yet, but right now I'm okay with that, but I do go through periods where I hate myself because I don't know my sexual orientation.

I just have to remember that my sexual orientation is mine, and doesn't have to match someone else. :)

Putting it into practice though, some times I would see a girl and be like "wow, she's attractive" and then I'd scold myself like "no, that's weird, you're a girl", but I don't do that anymore, and I'm mostly comfortable talking about who's attractive and who I'm interested in as much as the next person.

I've been Pro-LGBTQ+ all my life, even before I knew I wasn't straight, it has always been important to me, but as soon as I was LGBTQ+, I didn't take to it straight away, it took time, it takes time for everyone. I still have days when I think "why can't I just be straight?" The fact that there is no real education on LGBTQ+ topics, and that the idea of a man and a woman are supposed to be together can mess with out heads, but in all reality, we can have the same things as opposite-sex couples.

[Snookers]

At 12 years old I realized that I was bisexual. I thought I was a lesbian when I was about 10 but I started liking boys too. I never denied the fact that I was slightly different than most girls, I was even proud of it.

[DepartInSecret]

Well I started to get sexually attracted to other guys when I was 10-11, however like most I was like, "this is wrong and bad... I can't be gay", and so on. I then decided that I was bi as I was not fully accepting of my sexuality.
By the age of 13 I had decided that I was gay and not bi. I have not yet come out to anyone off the Internet (virtual teen) and am planning to come out to a lot of people this year.

[MartyG]

Well; being gay was never part of my dream. Or my parents dream for me...or my friends dreams; really....

I keep working on my new dream...and it's OK.....but I still keep remembering how cool the old one was.

I guess it really depends on who you have around you and how they can be parts of the new dream puzzle.

It's not particularly easy for me to find all the necessary parts.....

[Dunce]

I think you already have accepted it in a way. I mean, you identify as gay and what not, and I'm guessing this wishing you were straight isn't your constant state?
I thought I was a lesbian for a long while, and it took at least a year for me to accept it. When I say I didn't accept it I mean that I wouldn't even admit to myself that I was attracted to women. I was so focused on being straight and having a normal life that I got seriously depressed at my lack of attraction to men. I hated myself for thinking about girls, but I convinced myself I was thinking about them for another reason other than attraction. When I started to admit to myself I was into girls I still hated it and even tried to focus on things men had to offer by making mental lists and trying to make myself straight by doing that. It was crazy. I'm not sure how long it went on, it felt like a few years but I think it was just one. I tried to tell myself it was a phase, and my mind was constantly racing trying to figure out why I was attracted to one thing in women and not in men. I tried to train my thoughts to be straight. Worst thing I have ever tried to do. My family isn't religious, it was my friends that made me try be straight. Before I ever liked a girl (and used to like boys) my friends would always say I was a lesbian, and it pissed me off that they wouldn't believe me when I said I was straight. I was telling the truth, I had never looked at girls at that point. So when I started liking girls I just didn't want those "friends" (they weren't very nice to me in a lot of ways) to be right about my sexuality, I wanted to prove them wrong and I also didn't want to look stupid like I had been lying to them.

As far as I know, lots of people who are well out of the closet and proud of who they are still have days where they wish they were straight. They wouldn't be subject to hate and they would be able to marry and have kids (if it's not already legal in their country). Being straight is just easier for people to accept, and there are more relationship prospects.

But if you're really not happy with who you are then I just know someday you will be okay. You seem like a nice guy and I can see you being proud. I think it's just a longer process for you, but everyone has their moments.

[Dimentio]

Thank you all for your answers on your stories and ideas it really does give you an insight to how it is for everyone which really does help with everything :)
And yes normally i am okay with me being gay and proud of it and who i am but sometimes i think i am just depressed i will never find someone and know it would be easier if i was straight ha ha.

[Apollo.]

Thank you all for your answers on your stories and ideas it really does give you an insight to how it is for everyone which really does help with everything :)
And yes normally i am okay with me being gay and proud of it and who i am but sometimes i think i am just depressed i will never find someone and know it would be easier if i was straight ha ha.

I took about 4-5 years to fully accept I was gay so it can take a long time.

Up until a few months ago I had the same feelings as you got depressed, thought I'd never find anyone and even lied to myself and tried having girlfriends(terrible plan wouldn't reccomend it). It all came to a head for me about 4 months ago when I admitted to myself I was in love with my best friend, I eventually plucked up the courage to tell him and he's now my boyfriend.

Basically what I'm getting at is dont give up and don't feel down about not finding anyone yet. In my small amount of experience what I learnt is you can spend years down and depressed about not having a bf and wishing you were straight but within 10 seconds it can all change and you will be the happiest you have ever been.

Good luck with everything and if you need to talk feel free to PM me xxx

[Troy35216]

How long did it take you all to accept who you are?
I'm still working on it

[Twilly F. Sniper]

It took me about a few months after I figured it out in late 2008. It was after my mom died, I had started accepting who I was. Very tragic and long story. :/ It was June of 2009, around the time Micheal Jackson died.

[GummyUnicornDerp]

I found out about my sexuality at 13, I came out to everyone at 13, I'm currently 13. It's been a productive year. Worrying isn't for me.

[thisisben]

I have known I was different since year 5ish , I'm in year 11 now and slowly accepting and hopefully within the next year or so I will be ready :)

[Lyra Heartstrings]

I began understanding myself in 7th grade, when I was 12-13. Still haven't accepted it. But I understand.

[ImCoolBeans]

It took me a very long time to come to terms with the fact that I'm gay. When I was younger I was very confused as to why I had feelings or curiosities towards other boys. As I started to get older I started to learn more about sexuality I started to question mine, and the questioning only got more serious at time went on. Looking back now, it's been quite evident throughout my life that I'm gay and if I had known what I know now when I was even as young as 5-6 I believe I would have recognized that I was not straight then. I started to seriously think I was gay when I was 12-14 but tried to hide my feelings -- I dated girls and tried to force myself to like girls for years. Even on this site you can find threads that I made when I was 15 years old talking about loving girls and having my heart broken over them. I feel bad saying this now but that was all an effort to try and change my sexuality. I didn't know a whole lot about sexuality until I about 16 and that's when I started to become more okay with the thought that I might not be straight, and as time went on I became very comfortable with it and I am now, at 18 (although I got there at 17), at a place where I'm ready to be completely open with my sexuality. I've come out to both of my parents, my brother, and about 10-15 other people. Almost everybody important in my life knows now and it's only been getting easier as I move forward with it.

[Dimentio]

Mikey i cannot tell you how scared i was when i saw you posted on this! XD
I don't know why but during the majority of that i felt sad and really bad for you, I just think it is the fact you tried to change yourself so much :( I am glad it did get better and easier for you though and everyone seems accepting of it :)
And i agree on one part looking back i was gay all my life really and i coulda known at 5-6 also because of some thoughts i had ha ha.

[unusedaccount]

Well i am going to be 17 on Match so i hate counting myself as 16 XD But anyway, Looking back on my life i have always been gay even in year 4 (English school years), But i knew i was gay majorly at 12 and thought i accepted it at 13 or so, But even now so many years later i find myself hating the fact i am considered not normal and wondering what it would be like if i was straight and why can't i be, Is this normal or am i just going through a long acceptance stage?

Your normal, whether you like girls, boys or both, your normal, and your certainly not alone.

[LiamC]

Tbh I've known for years and years (even since I was like 7 or 8 really) but I didn't even admit to myself I was gay until I was about 13 or 14 and it wasn't until last year that I came out to anybody (my best friend first, then another friend and eventually my mum and my lesbian sister).

[Jakie23]

Well i am going to be 17 on Match so i hate counting myself as 16 XD But anyway, Looking back on my life i have always been gay even in year 4 (English school years), But i knew i was gay majorly at 12 and thought i accepted it at 13 or so, But even now so many years later i find myself hating the fact i am considered not normal and wondering what it would be like if i was straight and why can't i be, Is this normal or am i just going through a long acceptance stage?

I found out I was gay in Year 6, and didn't really accept it until Year 8. I came out in Year 9 and I'm extremely proud to be the only gay guy at my secondary school

[Elysium]

Please don't bump threads that have been inactive for two months or more. :locked2: